Richard Egan attended the University of San Francisco and later served during World War II. Following the war, Egan taught school before making his debut in films. Egan later shifted his focus to television with his series Empire as well as his appearances in a number of made-for-television films.

In the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s, Egan took occasional film roles and guest spots on popular television series, such as The Streets of San Francisco and Police Story. Egan also taught acting and encouraged young hopefuls. In 1982, he took a recurring role on the TV soap Capitol and remained with the series until illness forced him off the show.